Snow moving device



Nov. 22, 1938. E. w. AUSTIN 2,137,321

SNOW MO'VING DEVICE Original Filed Jan. 2, 1936 23 p F/G.

a f u 2/ Q) i W a 23 v Z '27 /6 3/ I v r v 32 INVENTOR. Hi .5 WORTH P1640577 ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 22, 1 938 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,137,321 SNOWiMOVING DEVICE.

of Delaware 7 Original application January 2, 1936, Serial No.

57,091,now Patent No. 2,101,666, dated Decemher 7, 1937.

Divided and this application November 13, 1936, Serial No. 110,619

6 Claims.

. This invention relates to snow moving devices and has particular relation to the plow structure of such devices and to the-means for supporting, raising and lowering a plow .with relation to a tractor or other prime mover.

This application is adivision of my application Serial No. 57,091 on Snow moving device, filed January 2, 1936, which issued as Patent 2,101,666 on December 7, 1937.

In devices of this character it is the usual practice to mount a heavy V-plow on a tractor and to provide means for moving the Vplow vertically with reference to the tractor to regulate the depth of cut. These devices are particularly applicable for use in the removal of snow from roadways and the like. The snow, of course, is light in relation to its volume, particularly in the upper portion of the layer but the lower portions may be ice or water-laden snow or slush whereby the load on the plow varies considerably throughout the .depth of the cut, the greatest force reaction being at and near the bottom of the layer where the material vis ordinarily the heaviest. The situation is materially aggravated when obstacles such as rocks, culverts and the like are encountered. V

The conditions abovementioned are productive of numerous problems. The plow must have a large area both in the vertical and horizontal direction in order that the maximum cut, both in width and depth, may be made and, while the force reactions at most points of the blade except near the ground are not particularly heavy, the blade itself must be enabled to meet and withstand heavy stresses at all points on its surface and thus the blade itself is necessarily a large heavy structure which must of itself be inherently stiff and self-supporting.

The problem of supporting and raising and lowering this heavy blade structure and meeting the various stresses encountered brings 'up problems of furnishing supporting and actuating means which will properly actuate the plow and meet the stresses encountered. The fact that the force reactions or stresses vary from top to bottom of the layer of material being worked uponalso produces problems in devising structures enabled to withstand these loads.

Furthermore, in' operating a massive tractor and .plow of this character, when obstacles such as a culvert or the like are met tremendous blows are transmitted to the plow andparticularly the cutting edge thereof.

It is accordingly an object of myinvention to provideaplow structure which is relativelylight but which is inherently stiff and which is particularlysuited for meeting the varying stresses encountered.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a new and improved snow plow structure and means for raising, such a structure. An important object of my invention is to provide an improved bracing and shock absorbing means for plow structures.

It isanother important object of my invention to provide relatively resilient shock absorbing means for bracing portions of the blades .of a snow moving device andparticularly the cutting edgeor edges of such devices.

Otherand further features and objects of my invention will be moreapparent to those skilled in the art upon a consideration of the accompanying drawing and following specification, wherein is disclosed several exemplary embodiments of the invention, with the understanding, however, that such changes may be made therein as fall within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention. The device may be used or adapted for use for other purposes.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a snowplow in which a V-blade or plow, constructed lowering and supporting according to one embodiment of my invention, A

has been incorporated. The V-plow is in lowered position.

Figure 2'is:a view in perspective of the V-plow of the device shown in Figure 1 taken behind the plow from the position usually occupied by the tractor or other prime mover.

Figure 3 is a sectional View illustrating how the side frames or levers areatt'ached to the V-plow, and t Figure 4 is a fragmentary :view, in enlarged detail, of thecuttingedge and bracing and shock absorbing members of theplow shown in Figure 2.

Referring nowto the drawing, the V-plow, indicated generally at E0, is supported on and actuated from a .tractoror other prime mover indicatedgenerally at H. In mounting the plow on the tractor, side frames 2,-on eitherside of the tractor, are employed andthese side frames are pivotally engaged on stub shafts I3 which extend outwardlyon either sideof the running gear M of the tractor. Beams 16 extend rearwardly from the side frames L2 and rearwardly of the stub shafts 1.3 and afford :means for mounting vertically extending standards I] ,at the rear ends thereof. 'Qthel vertically extending .mem-

The standards 2| are connected by a cross beam 23 to assist in stiffening the plow supporting structure in a transverse direction. Braces 24 and 26 extend forwardly and downwardly from the junctions of members 2| and 23, and are fastened as by welding to the tops of vertically extending angle beam reinforcing members 44 which are secured to the outer rear surfaces of the mould boards. Additional gusset members are used to strengthen this joint. The reinforcing members will be described hereinafter in greater detail. I

The side frames 12 are engaged to the lower rear ends of the V-plow lfland it is apparent that pivotal movement of the plow and plow supporting structure, about the stub shafts I 3, will result in vertical movement of the V-plow to regulate the depth of the cut. The means for securing vertical movement of the V-plow is indicated generally at 29 but, since this actuating mechanism also forms no part of my present invention, it will not be further explained except to describe the connection between this actuating mechanism and the plow blade. The actuating mechanism is more particularly described in my co-pending application Serial No. 742,368 filed September 1, 1934. 4

The V-plow 10 includes the previously mentioned side plates or mould boards 21 and 28 which are arranged in V-relation and which are curved at a proper angle to roll the snow and other material back upon itself and throw it to one side or the other thus to cause it to be dise charged from the rear of the plates 21 and 28 and to one side or the other of the plow.

In the handling of snow and the like, I have found it advantageous to split the snow and other material ahead of the V-plow and this is accomplished by means of a divider plate 3|. The divider plate serves a still more important function, while the plow is in use as in widening a cut, in preventing snow from falling across into the cleared portion of the cut, thus permitting the V-plow to be used for its full half width. This divider plate is preferably straight along its entering edge 32, but the entering edge is raked rearwardly to cause lifting as well as dividing of the snow ahead of the plow thus assistingin breaking it and dividing it. The divider plate 3| is located between the abutting front inner ends of the mould boards 27 and 28 and thus affords a valuable stiffening means for the front to the rear sides of the blades or plates 2'! and 28 and the forward or lower edges indicated at 31 are welded or otherwise secured to the lower edges of the blades 21 and 28. The box sections formed by the reinforcing plates 34 are additionally braced by means of upwardly and rearward 1y extending plates 38 which are secured at the lower rear faces of the mould boards 21 and 28 as .by welding and are secured to the inner or forward faces of the upright portions of the angularly bent plates 34 by welding the rear upper edges to the forward faces thereof.

The mould boards 2'! and 28 may themselves be relatively thin sheets, while the narrow, reinforcing sheets 34 and 38 may be of much heavier gauge material. The intermediate plates 38 join in with the curve of the lower edge portion of the boards 21 and 28 and are adjacent to the lowermost portions of these boards, which portions are bent back slightly as indicated in Figure 4 to give better penetration to the cutting edges 33. The intermediate plate 38 acts as a strut anchored at its upper end to the reinforcing beam 34 which strut resists the force set up by the cutting action of the plow. Since both the plate 38 and mould boards 2'! and 28 will defleet, the resistance to deflection increasing in ratio to the deflection, these parts act as a shock absorbing means for absorbing the shocks encountered by the plow.

The upper edges of the mould boards or main sheets 21 and 28 are stiffened by means of angle plates 39 and 48 and the upper edges are additionally braced at the nose by means of a triangular gusset 4l, the edges of which are turned over to stiffen the structure. The angle plates 38 and 48, if desired, may be replaced by extension plates to afford greater capacity to the plow.

The main sheets, plates or mould boards 21 and 28 are additionally reinforced by means of a cross beam 42, which is welded or otherwise secured to the rear faces of the angle beams 34 thus bracing these members against each other. The cross beam 42 affords means for adjustably mounting a heavy shoe at the nose of the V-plow as hereinafter described.

The rear ends of the mould boards of the V- plow are possibly subjected to greater loads than any other part of the plow. These ends are reinforced and braced by heavy, vertically-extending angle beams 44. The edges of the box-like reinforcing beams 44 are concaved at the rear side edges to conform to the curvature of the mould boards and welded or otherwise secured to the rear faces of the mould boards. The box reinforced members 44 serve notonly to brace the rear ends of the mould boards against twisting and rectilinear acting stresses but also serve as means for receiving receptacles 46 in which the levers or side frames l2 are secured, the brackets 48 being secured within the rear faces of the vertical box members 44 by welding or in any other suitable manner.

The receptacles 46 are box-like members which abut the rear faces of the mould boards 21 and 28 within the bracing members 44, extending through the rear walls of these members, and. projecting rearwardly therefrom to form sockets in which the main frame members l2 may telescope to thus secure the V-plow on the tractor. The frame members may be pinned in place in the box members by means of pins 45. Obviously, this construction permits quick attachment and detachment of the V-plow to the tractor or the ready substitution of other types of plow and equipment for the V-plow shown,

The inside faces of the boxes 44 serve also as a means for mounting the pivot brackets 41 in which pins 48 are pivotally engaged. The pivot pin brackets 41 are built-up structures comprised of horizontally extending panels is, secured to the side walls of the box members 44 and to the inside faces of mould boards 21 and 28, and braces or gussets are secured to the inside faces of the box members 44 and to the under side of the panels 49. These brackets and pivot pins form a means of attachment to a. lifting device such as a hydraulic jack 29 for raising or lowering the mould boards to regulate the depth of cut. Raising and lowering of the V-plow is accomplished by means of links which are operatively connected to the actuating mechanism 29 and to the pivot pins 48. The actuating mechanism is such that not only will the links act to raise the V-plow and hold it in any desired position, but down pressure may be applied to the links to drive the V-plow downward as desired.

It is desirable, in some types of snow removal work, that the V-plow be permitted to float freely and its position with reference to the ground be determined by means of one or more shoes. In the structure here illustrated, a single long wide shoe 52, having a plurality of soles or runners 53 is employed at the nose of the V for adjustably supporting it with reference to the ground surface. The shoe 52 is pivotally engaged at its front end to suitable brackets 56 within the nose of the V. The plate or shoe 52 is pivotally enaged to support members 59 at each of the rear corners of the plate 52. These support members 59 project upwardly adjacent to the rear faces of the cross beam 42 and pass through adjustment brackets 6| which are secured to the rear faces of the cross beam 42.

It is apparent that I have provided a relatively light v-plow structure which may be made up of standard channels and plates, but which is inherently stiff and sturdy, to meet the many and varying stresses impressed upon it in use. The V-plow is readily released from its supporting structure by removing the pins 35, 4B and the bolts or other means employed for securing the braces 2A to the upper edge of the plow.

It is apparent that modifications may be made by those skilled in the art and such modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a snow moving device, a tractor, a V- plow mounted at the front of the tractor and reinforcing members for the V-plow including angle plates having the lower forward edges secured to the rear faces of the bottom edges of the plow members and having the upper edges thereof secured to the rear faces of the plow members, and reinforcing blades extending from the cutting edges of the plow blades to the rear walls of the corresponding angle plates and within the spaces formed between said angle plates and the rear. surfaces of said plow blades.

2. In a snow moving device, a tractor, a V- plow mounted at the front of the tractor, and reinforcing members for the V-plow including angle plates having the lower forward edges thereof secured to the rear bottom edges of the plow members and having the upper edges thereof secured to the rear faces of the plow members, and reinforcing blades extending from the cutting edges of the plow blades to the rear walls of the corresponding angle plates, and boxlike vertically extending members on the rear ends of the blades of the V-plow.

3. In a snow moving device, a tractor, a V-plow mounted at the front of the tractor, and reinforcing members for the V-plow including angle plates. having the lower forward edges thereof secured to the rear bottom edges of the plow members and having the upper edges thereof secured to the rear faces of the plow members, and reinforcing blades extending from the cutting edges of the plow blades to the rear walls of the corresponding angle plates and within the spaces formed between said angle plates and the rear surfaces of said plow blades, and box-like vertically extending members on the rear ends of the blades of the Vplow, the vertically extending box members having receptacles therein for receiving the side frame members.

4. A V-plow structure including mould boards, and means for reinforcing the rear edge of at least one of the mould boards on the inner face thereof comprising a vertically-extending sheet turned at right angles to itself with the edges concave to the rear face of the mould board and having the edges secured to the rear face of the mould board, and a means for securing the V- plow to a tractor, including means. for engaging the thrust arms of the tractor said means mounted on the reinforcing member, and additional means for supporting the V-plow from the tractor, including a frame member secured to the top of the reinforcing member.

5. In a V-plow, including mould boards, means for reinforcing the lower edge of at least one mould board comprising a sheet extending along the rear lower face of the mould board with one portion thereof arranged in vertical position with the upper edge secured to the rear face of the mould boards and the other portion thereof arranged in sloping position with the front edge thereof secured to the lower edge of the mould board, and additional reinforcing means comprising a plate secured to the inner face of the vertical portion of the reinforcing member and to the lower edge of the mould board.

6. In a V-plow, including mould boards, means for reinforcing the lower portion of at least one mould board comprising a reinforcing sheet extending along the rear lower face of the mould board with one portion thereof arranged in vertical position with the upper edge secured to the rear face of the mould board and the other portion arranged in sloping position with the front edge thereof secured to the lower front portion of the mould board, and additional reinforcing means including a plate secured to the inner face of the vertical portion of the reinforcing member and extending slopingly downward between the front edge of the reinforcing sheet and the lower front portion of the mould board.

ELLSWOR'II-I W. AUSTIN. 

